Forgiveness is Magic
by overthemaginot
Summary: When Sunset finally decides to return to the capital, she finds out about a terrifying prophecy mentioning the return of Midnight Sparkle and the eternal twilight she brings. It was then that she found out about her destiny as the Element of Faith among the other Elements of Amnesty, and is tasked with writing friendship reports to Emperor Sombra.
1. The Magic of Forgiveness - Part One

—

_A thousand years ago, two unicorns ruled over the land._

_One, the eldest, raised the sun and winter._

_The youngest used her magic to raise the moon and spring._

_But soon, she grew bitter and resentful._

_The ponies relished in his sunlight and the winter he summoned, and feared the darkness of her night._

_The eldest unicorn tried to help the youngest, but she turned from him._

_The hunger for knowledge, power, and love had turned her into a wicked mare of pure, evil magic..._

_Midnight Sparkle._

_Harnessing the power of the Elements of Amnesty, the eldest unicorn sealed her away on the Moon._

_He took authority of both Sun and Moon, and has ruled over the Crystal Empire ever since, maintaining harmony across all the land._

_But legend has it that on the shortest day of the thousandth year,_

_Midnight Sparkle will return,_

_and thrust the world into eternal twilight once more._

—

The Elements of Amnesty seemed to be a force of friendship, harmony, and forgiveness. An amalgamation of all things good. Sunset scoffed at the foalish prospects of the "magic of friendship". You could not use friendship to govern a realm. You can't punish evildoers with sugar, spice, and everything nice. The legend wasn't true. It wasn't true. It wasn't true?

Sunset knew the whole story was juvenile at best, but there was still this aching, twisted feeling in her chest that it was true. Her heart was clenched with concern that was unwavering in the face of rationality. She tried to purge it, but it wouldn't work.

And what didn't help was the fact she was staring up at the sun, reminding her of the Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year. Of the thousandth year since Midnight Sparkle's banishment.

Why was she so weak, as to fall to the same levels of naïveté as everybody else?

She had to reassure herself, and the best way she knew how to do that was through the Emperor. Even though she hated him and wanted to plot his beautiful, sweet death every moment of her existence, she still held respect for him. He was incredibly magically proficient, far exceeding what she could ever hope to possibly achieve. I mean he raised a giant ball of fire every day and lowered it as well, of course he was powerful. And rational, logical, wise.

If there was anyone to reassure her that she was being stupid and should move on, and it would actually settle her, it would be him for sure.

And so she stood up, threw the book into her bag, and galloped in the direction to the Palace. She needed an audience with the Emperor. It was a few hours until the Solstice began, so much of the traffic for an audience with him was gone, and she could just walk in.

She assumedly was loud when running out the door, as Night Light screeched a "**SHH!"** at her. It was not even like it was her fault, hoofsteps are loud and that was not something Sunset could help. At least she got it on a deal as Night Light said. It was strange how the Emperor wanted it on sale, but you could not look a gift carriage in the wheels.

She regretted forgetting to put on her coat when she was blasted with coldness. The Capital had the Emperor to protect them against the snow, but some still got in anyway, especially seeing as it was Winter.

The Library wasn't too far from the Palace, and it was barely five minutes until Sunset at the Palace Square. She entered the Palace, winding up the stairs, and breaking into the hallway that bled into the Throne Room. A mare stepped out from the door, a mare that she instantly recognised as Bon Bon, the Emperor's assistant.

Sunset wasted no time in stopping her. **"Bon Bon! I need an audience with the Emperor. Immediately."**

Bon Bon drew her lips into a gentle smile, lowering her clipboard. **"Then you're in luck. Just walk in. He's free right now."**

She did not hesitate to continue on when she was finished. Sunset could not blame her. She was probably quite busy, given the Winter Solstice.

Sunset walked in past her and the doors. She was blasted with the bright lights and the fantastic decorations glimmering down at her, and she squinted. She tried to saunter in in a cool and level-headed way. It failed miserably. And the only thing she could think about at the moment was the time she spent with the Emperor. That had been all she could think about since she came back to this blasted city.

The light eventually faded, and Sunset continued walking in. The velvet carpet beneath her hooves were soft.

On the throne sat Emperor Sombra. He was a tall and stately stallion shrouded in a royal garment, and beside him on the throne whispering was a pretty pegasus mare Sunset recognised as the Mayor, Mi Amore Cadenza. Or Cadence, as she sometimes liked to be called. They both turned at the sound of her hoof steps, their gazes lined with a strange expression, and the air stinging with the peculiar silence. Sunset almost buckled underneath them.

Why did she have to be so stupid and affected?

Cadence nodded at Sombra and leapt down from the throne, trotting out of the throne room. As she passed Sunset, Cadence cast a sharp glare that stung the air wildly and pierced the unicorn.

Cadence always had rubbed her the wrong way.

Sunset looked back at the Emperor, stepping tentatively towards the throne. The very stallion she despised and plotting the deposition of. She bowed, her face stained with gritted teeth. **"Your majesty,"** She forced out, the words feeling like poison on her tongue.

**"Is there anything I can do for you, Sunset Shimmer?"** He asked. His crimson eyes seemed to narrow at her. Sunset was reminded of his intimidating presence, and authoritative air.

Sunset stood up, rubbing her left hoof with her right one. **"I-I don't want to become your student again, if that's what you're insinuating."** She answered, too quickly for personal comfort.

**"No, it was not."** He looked at her peculiarly. **"Though, I have to wonder why you have returned to this city. Is it for the Winter Wind Celebration?"**

She loudly scoffed at the very concept that SHE would be here for that, before she remembered his presence. Clearing her throat to compose herself once more, she started again. **"No,"** she had raised her voice, **"I am here for this!"**

Sunset used her magic to raise The Mare of Twilight from her saddlebag, and flipped it onto the page depicting Midnight Sparkle.

Sombra squinted and seemed confused. Sunset self-consciously lowered it and looked at it herself, only to let out an 'eek' in the realisation. This wasn't the book. It was her journal. Even worse, it was the page where she ranged about how she was going to overthrow Emperor Sombra and take over the Empire. And mentioned that "Empress Sunset" had a nice ring to it. It wasn't a lie at least. She chuckled nervously, and put it away.

This time, she made sure to check it was the right book and page before lifting it up for him.

**"No. This! Midnight Sparkle!"** She yelled, allowing her concern to seep into her tone accidentally. **"Legend has it that on the shortest day of the thousandth year of her imprisonment, the stars will aid in her escape! She'll return and bring about eternal twilight! I-It's just a legend, right? It's not going to happen?"**

She gulped when Sombra sat there in silence looking at it. The silence hung in the air and hit at her sanity. Could it be true? Why was he not saying anything?

She saw a glint in his eyes as she shifted - it sort of looked with pride, which was odd - before he broke into laughter. Loud, amused, laughter.

Sunset stood in stunned silence, as he laughed for what felt like solid minutes. It would be impressive, if it did not make her feel like an ant.

Eventually, he composed himself. **"Oh, Shimmer, you have to stop reading those dusty, old books!"**

Sunset's mouth gawked open. Old? Old?! He was at least older than that book! At least 1000 years old! Older than all of Night Light's books! Dusty? He was probably dustier!

Her frustrated internal ranting was interrupted by him speaking again. **"Come, Sunset, you need to get a life. I've heard about you, how you've isolated yourself. You need to get out more. Make some friends!"**

Sombra stood up and walked down to her level, standing besides her. She felt short besides him as he spoke once more. **"I have a proposition for you. I want you to organise the Winter Wind Celebration. The volunteers have already been chosen, all you need to do is go see them and how they are doing. Is that clear?"**

If Sunset could inwardly scoff, that was what she did then. What a softhearted fool. Make some friends? He intends to rule with friendship? What's he going to do then if a dragon turns up at the city's crystal gates demanding the blood of citizens? Be friends at it? What an idiot.

Realising that she had to respond, Sunset forced out a smile and enthusiastically answered him. **"Absolutely, Your Majesty. But- why, why are you giving me this job now? The event is starting in a few hours."** Surely it was cutting it a bit close.

Instead of responding, he passed her a scroll with his magic and she gripped it in hers. "**Now, do it. I know you won't fail me, Sunset Shimmer."**

As he spoke before turning away and sitting back on the throne, Sunset inspected the scroll. It was a checklist, with some names and words scrawled onto it in Bon Bon's hoof writing. His last words sent a shiver down her spine as she walked back out of the throne room, passing Bon Bon in the endeavour.

She was hit with another blast of cold when she stepped outside, and she gritted her teeth. Couldn't Sombra at least _try _to get rid of some more cold? Looking around, she saw the effects of the Solstice wherever she turned. Everybody seemed to be getting ready in anticipation for it, decorating their streets with patriotic emblems and the national flags.

It was to be held in the Crystal Theatre and its large dome, the actual event, and only a limited amount of people were invited. Despite this, many ponies had already started to set up chairs and fluttered around the Square. The sun setting was a sight the whole Empire could see, and ponies were actually encouraged to try to even if they werent formally encouraged.

The first item on her list was _Octavia Melody_, a cellist who would be providing the music for the event alongside her band. She'd most likely be in the Theatre then, Sunset noted.

She turned tail in the direction of the Theatre, getting hit in the face by - _sigh_ \- another gust of wind. She almost tripped over a pony setting up a chair. Muttered a sarcastic apology, Sunset continued on and braved the winds.

It took a while before she entered the Theatre and shut its massive gates behind her. The frosty lisp on her face thawed when she was greeted with a cozy warmth, and she felt snug in its embrace.

She looked around as she walked through its halls, descended the staircase, and entered the Grand Hall. The dome above was opened, giving an excellent look of the day sky. It flittered with clouds and Sombra's sun was slowly fluttering towards the horizon line, the unmistakable damasked rose of dusk beginning to show its wrinkles.

Sunset Shimmer felt her heart flutter in anticipation, the familiar thrill of excitement gripping her hooves- _no! _She hated Sombra. She hated his stupid face and his stupid weird curved horn. Remember?

Looking over, she saw the figures of a band she presumed to be Octavia's. They were playing some beautiful violin music, and she grinned at its beautiful arches and its masterful chorus. However, she knew she had to concentrate on checking up on Octavia, and she looked around for the mare herself.

Octavia was relatively well-known. Maybe not so much now, since she had fairly faded to obscurity. But back when Sunset lived here, she performed a lot. If memory served her correctly, she was grey with a sophisticated black mane- _aha_!

Sunset spotted her. Strangely, she seemed to be helping another mare set up some DJ studio or something like that. The mare...looked a lot like that startup DJ she'd heard about. DJ-PON3 or something? Either way, Sunset walked over to them.

Octavia looked up at the sound of her hoofsteps, and smiled politely. The other mare didn't, despite not having her headphones in. Rude. Was she just ignoring Sunset?

Trying to mask her irritation, the unicorn would at least try to be polite when interrogating her. **"Oh, Octavia. I thought you were doing the music. That's certainly what the Emperor thinks."**

Octavia smiled. The mare still ignored her, but funnily enough, not Octavia when she handed her a record. **"****Oh? What's that about the Emperor?" **

She had an unmistakably posh voice, and carried herself in such a funny way that Sunset supposed she must have been born biting from the upper crust of society. Why, she spoke so fancy like Sombra did one would think she was his daughter or had a connection to him somehow. Maybe they were married.

Still, she was ignoring, and so was the mare she was helping instead of DOING. HER. JOB. Sunset groaned, before she replied. **"My name is Sunset Shimmer, organiser of the Winter Wind Celebration. Emperor Sombra himself has sent me to make sure everything is going perfectly fine."**

**"****That is fantastic. Pray tell, _is_ everything going fine here?"** Octavia asked, blinking innocently.

**"Absolutely!"** Sunset began.

Octavia grinned with delight. Until Sunset stomped her hoof on the ground, interrupting her and raising her voice. "**If this was a six year-old's birthday party and not a cultural icon in the name of the Emperor! Why are you so distracted helping P0N-3 with her set?"**

"**O-oh! Well, dear, it's just that she is providing the entertainment here, and I thought she could use some help. It's always the _noble_ thing to do, to help those around you!" **Octavia said, rather meekly, looking back at PON-3.

"**She's perfectly fine! She has her own way of dealing with things.**" Sunset snapped back. She paused to glare at the white unicorn, who _still_ had not even _acknowledged_ her presence! She was the future Empress, future usurper of the Crystal Throne, and this _idiot_ had _the gall _to defy her?! "**A****nd why hasn't she given me the proper status befitting the personal student of the Emperor?**"

Octavia looked down, meekly, muttering out a, "**He has a personal student? I.. was not aware. I am sorry for that.**"

Sunset stopped herself, only now realising what she had said. Obviously, she wasn't his personal student - she hadn't been for several years. That was why she hated this- this stupid city. It reminded her of her past, of what she used to be. But she couldn't change. Change was for the strong. And even she had to admi, that was the one thing she was not.

Octavia shyly nudged PON-3, who looked up at her, and then at Sunset. She smiled and lifted her glasses, showing her brilliant magenta eyes. "**Oh, man! Sorry about that, I didn't notice you. I'm deaf. But that doesn't stop me from rejoicing still, my dude! I'm P0N-3, but you can call me Vinyl Scratch."**

Sunset flinched at the word "man", whatever that meant, but mostly she heard Vinyl's lisp. It betrayed her deaf nature, but it did make her sound more endearing. Mostly it was just a case of confusing her s's and z's, but it wasn't like she could help it. At first, she stood there, contemplating how Vinyl could speak, but then realised she could probably lipread.

**"S-swimming. I'm Sunset Shimmer, the organiser for the Winter Solstice -"**

"**_And_ the _personal_ student of the Emperor! We're in the presence of _nobility_**!" Octavia interrupted, in a sing-song tone. "**Imagine knowing him!**" She interrupted herself by bursting out into confusing coos and giggles.

Sunset recoiled in the assumption, confused as it didn't even make much sense, but she was interrupted by Vinyl grabbing her hoof and shaking it while beaming.

Vinyl spoke as they shook hooves, gesturing with her free one around her setup. "**Hey man, I'm always glad to meet a new face. The music and entertainment is coming along great! Boom. Installed a dance floor and everything. Sombra comes in-**"

_— Emperor_ Sombra, Sunset corrected internally —

"**He's all like, 'Boom! Moon raising power!' I catch the first snowflake like a boss, and then turn on my fine musical beats. We all breakdance on the floor. Including Sombra.**"

Sunset was...stunned. To say the least. And she didn't even try to hide it, as she gawked openly at the other mare. "**You... You want Sombra to breakdance?**" Even imagining that sight made her want to vomit.

Octavia breathed out a deep, strained sigh. "**Sombreakdance, we call it,**" she said, through gritted teeth.

Sunset took a moment, walking away from them for a solid five minutes and just breathing heavily. She also broke a table. She then returned to them, after purging that conversation from her mind.

**"Well, I guess things seem to be going along good. And I really have some research to do... about some elements."**

Vinyl nodded with a gentle smile. **"Sounds cool. You should tell me what you find."**

Sunset nodded half heartedly and crossed off Octavia from her checklist...and Vinyl as well, for good measure. She looked at who she had left to check...Derpy Hooves, Trixie Lulamoon, Maud Pie...She decided to see Pie first. She was on catering, so she'd probably still be in here as well.

She looked around, spotting a few ponies here and there that fluttered around trying to get various things done. She finally spotted the dull-coloured earth pony not too far away, and approached her.

She seemed to be wearing some sort of dress, and was busy hanging up some banners onto the wall. Some were just the Crystal emblem, but others were...questionable. Mostly dull and boring banners with some funky looking accents rarely dotted around, and...rocks? There are so many rocks on display? What?

**"Um... Hello?"** She meekly breathed out.

A minute passed, and Maud slowly turned around. Looking at her. With pure apathy in her eyes. Seriously, Sunset didn't think there was even a soul behind them. She wouldn't even be convinced that she was alive, if not for the slow and steady rising of her chest. Maud was silent.

**"Uh... Well, I'm Sunset Shimmer. I'm here to check up on the decorations."** Sunset continued.

Maud was silent.

**"Er... H-how are they going?"** Seriously, Sunset was so creeped out by this mare.

**"Good."** Maud finally said, still no emotion in her voice.

Sunset looked at her, expecting her to continue, or say more, or do anything, just SOMETHING. But Maud didn't. She was just...silent. She didn't even move.

**"Oh. That's. That's all?"** Sunset asked.

Maud nodded. **"Yes. The decorations are going good."**

Sunset frowned, looking around at all the decorations. Good? They were downright horrible. **"Uh, yeahh... I guess so. But they're a bit drab, don't you think?"**

Maud blinked. **"No. I don't think that.**" She answered, denser than the rocks she seemed to obsess over.

Sunset chuckled nervously. **"They're so... dull. And boring."**

**"Nope."**

Sunset squinted at her, convinced this mare wasn't even equine at this point. **"_What are you?_"**

**"Maud."**

**"Oh. Maud."**

**"Yes. Rock-farm-Maud."**

Sunset looked around, at all the rock displays.

**"Oh, yeah, I can see... Bit of an odd choice, don't you see? I mean. Celebration time. Celebrating winter, and the moon, and the... sun. And you just. Bring in some rocks. How do they relate to the equation?"**

Maud held a strong, humoured glint in her eye. **"Rocks are the foundations of the earth we stand, the foundations for the soil we can grow food on. The foundations for our cities and towns. The building blocks for the first ponies, the first stone tools and the first stone huts. They're strong, persistent, and come in all shapes, colours, sizes. And also so often under-appreciated. We don't realise how important rocks are to our way of life, but I do. Without rocks, there would be nothing. _Altruism_ is important to me. Always has been. And it's through altruism I can appreciate rocks. Sombra is like a rock. He is like the foundation for the earth, because he brings the sun and the moon. And he looks like a rock. But mostly..."**

Maud Pie leaned in very close, her eyes holding a dangerous and murderous glow. Sunset felt a shiver knead into her spine as she cowers back, fear consuming her.

**"I just really like rocks."**

Maud leaned back, and Sunset had only just processed the words 'Sombra is like a rock.' She was just flabbergasted. **"D...Did you just call our all-powerful god-Emperor a rock?"**

**"Yes."**

**"I... okay. Well, to be fair, that was a really good monologue I guess."**

**"I rehearsed."**

**"Of course you did. I think it's best if I left you alone now, I don't want to disturb your, er, creative process."**

Of course it was just an excuse to get away as far as possible from that absolute weirdo. Frankly, she was just confused on why Emperor Sombra would put Maud - this introverted ROCK person - in charge of decorations. Vinyl and Octavia, she could understand - they were talented musicians. Or, atleast Octavia was - well, she didn't actually see Octavia play. But Maud Pie? What did he have to gain by putting Maud Pie in charge?

Crossing off Maud's simply MARVELLOUS name off the checklist, she walked out the Theatre back the way she came. She needed to see Trixie Lulamoon next, the pegasus who needed to clear the skies.

She went to put it back into her satchel, when she walked straight into some ing, or rather, somebody. She stumbled back, snapping out a, "**WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, IDIOT—"** only to pause at its distinct shadow. She looked up, stepping back in trembling fear at the sight of Emperor Sombra staring unamusedly back at her. Not only that, but an orange dragon was by his side.

**"Sunset Shimmer! Just the unicorn we were looking for,"** He spoke out. He did not sound amused in the slightest, and Sunset's ears pinned back as she thought about his words. At least he didn't order for her head to be chopped clean off or anything.

Sunset still couldn't help herself at the tremendous amount of questions building up. **"Why - why in EQUESTRIA - is an introverted rock farmer on decorations? It's filled with rocks! The whole place - just. Rocks!"**

Sombra smirked to himself as he looked up. Sunset bared her teeth in unfiltered fury. He would get such a slow death. This was amusing to him?!

**"I've brought you a gift, Sunset Shimmer. Here."**

Sunset had expected him to pull out the gift from . Because of course Sombra wouldn't do that.

He just turned to the dragon. Picking him up in magic. And hurled him straight at Sunset. Sunset let out a meep, her eyes wide with fear. Her heart pummelling her chest. She cast a levitation spell just before an impact was made between her and the blasted creature. Her breathing was shallow, as she felt a roar building up in anger at her Emperor. She released it, dropping the dragon. **"_Why_ would you _throw that at me_?!"** She yelled.

The dragon looked back at Sombra with an unamused glare, but Sombra only shrugged in response to her question. **"How else would I give him to you?"**

Sunset's head began to throb. **"It's a- a sentient dragon! It could just walk over to me! And why are you giving me a person as a gift?"** She really did _not _care she was calling the dragon an 'it'. In fact, she couldn't care less.

**"Why, Garble here is going to be your assistant from now on!"** He smiled, looking over to Garble.

Sunset did not even care she was letting out a scowl. She stepped around Sombra, walking past the whole shenanigan. **"I don't _need_ an assistant. I'm doing perfectly well on my own! And I have been for the past seven years! I never even needed friends, or _you_!"**

Sombra tried to stop her. **"But, Sunset-"**

She ignored him, not a shred of remorse or regret in her soul as she walked off, to the palace square. He didn't chase after her, so maybe he had just given up on trying to get her. _**Either way, I couldn't care less about him**_, Sunset ranted internally, _**Him and his poor, poor fweelings. What a shame! I hope I hurt him. Stupid Sombra and his stupid weird horn and this stupid pegasus Trixie and this stupid CITY and this stupid EVERYTHING. I just want to go back home, to **_**my **_**home.**_

She looked around the pillars of the Palace. The crowd around it had grown even larger, and the worst thing was, Sunset couldn't see a single pegasus in any of them. She let out a groan. How was she going to find this Trixie Whatever-moon in this stupid crowd?

**"Well, whoever this Trixie Lulamoon is, she's not doing a very good job. At. _All_!"** She murmured to herself.

With that, she got the attention of a nearby blue unicorn with lilac eyes, who looked over at her words with wide eyes. She was holding a purple hat, and wore a purple cape. In front of her were fireworks and a caravan. Sunset saw an opportunity to ask a local about the pegasus, and with a huge grin - that appeared to creep the other unicorn out a bit - Sunset trotted over.

**"Hey, have you seen a pegasus anywhere around here? One that's supposed to be clearing the skies?"** She asked.

The unicorn raised an eyebrow, a smirk being its companion, before she spoke in a mild-mannered tone. **"Trixie has not, no, because there is no such pegasus."**

Sunset was taken back. **"What-but-"**

The unicorn put on her hat, and purple smoke suddenly appeared around them. **"There is only.. the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie~! She will clear the skies."** She yelled, annoying twenty other civilians around them. Sunset got immediate whiplash from the third person, which Trixie seemed to use to refer to herself in. For some reason.

Still, Sunset pointed upwards with a hoof and a raised eyebrow. **"That's funny. Because they aren't cleared."**

Trixie rolled her hoof dismissively, turning back to her magic supplies and sorting through them. **"Trixie will do it in her own time."**

**"Well, Trixie better hurry, because by the looks of it, Emperor Sombra's going to be lowering the sun soon,"** Sunset huffed. **"And why do you speak in the third person anyway? That's just weird."**

Trixie turned away to look at her, raising her hooves as if dictating to the heavens themselves that, **"Trixie speaks in the third person because the first person cannot contain her magical prowess!"**

Sunset rolled her eyes irritatedly. **"Right. Well, I don't know how Emperor Sombra expects you to clear the skies, when you're not a pegasus, but-"**

**"Why, you doubt Trixie's power?!"** Trixie gasped, raising her voice.

Sunset winced at the sheer volume in it - kind of impressed, actually - and pinned her ears back. **"Yes! You're not a pegasus!"** She gasped back. **"Just an arrogant unicorn!"**

Trixie rolled her eyes with a sly grin on her face. **"It is no problem. I shall bring _justice_ to your insults. Beware, Trixie's power! The most powerful unicorn around!"**

Sunset watched as Trixie lit her horn, her cape seeming to fly in the wind ethereally behind her. Her magic lit up the sky in hues of lilac, blue, purple, and white, and with some flashes and some illusions, she moved the clouds into position. Clearing the sky.**"Of course, it's just a cheap imitation of flight magic, but it gets the job done~"** She sighed, her cape falling back into place, and started to fix her mane.

Sunset gawked in astonishment. Sure, it wasn't as finessed as pegasus magic, and Trixie had to over-use some magic to get the job done, but it was still a good one. **"Oh. I stand...corrected. That was quite impressive."**

Trixie flipped her now-fixed mane, and smiled. **"Of course it was impressive! I am the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixieee!"**She then pulled her cape over, obscuring her face. Mist filled the area suddenly, cast from Trixie's horn. Sunset coughed as the mist cleared, then opened her eyes wide as they darted around. Trixie was gone!... Or rather, Sunset could see her running off into the distance.

Sunset was... completely taken aback by the peculiar unicorn mare. She muttered to herself in astonishment. **"Right. That was an experience if I've ever had one. But thankfully, next is the last item on the list!"** She grinned, her eyes glazing over the checklist. Crossing off Trixie Lulamoon with her quill, she looked at the last entry. The last one was Derpy Hooves, the caterer. She would most likely be in the Palace ballroom, where the post-celebration would be taking place. (It was also the host of - Sunset sighed - the _Gala_.)

Sunset parkoured around the large crowd, entering the Palace, and heading to the third floor where the ballroom was. It was a massive ballroom that glittered when the light hit it just right, with a balcony overseeing it that Sombra was usually on. Her eyes dotted around, scanning the whole area. Many tables glittered around the room, half with white tablecloths on them, and a space cleared for ballroom dancing. Blegh. If Sunset could internally gag, she just did.

A grey pegasus with a banana yellow mane fluttered around the room. She wasn't a particularly strong flier, but her wings got the job done, as she tried to set table cloths on all of the tables.

Sunset noticed that as she did so, she bumped into a nearby food cupboard. It began to sway uneasily. Her breath catching a hitch, Sunset called out to the pegasus. **"Look-!****"**

Sunset was stopped when the cupboard fell over, onto Derpy. Sunset deflated, muttering out a continuation, "**...out.**"

The pegasus let out a 'meep' as Sunset levitated the food cupboard back up, setting it aside, and back where it was. The pegasus didn't seem to be too hurt, and she stretched her wings out briefly before stepping forward to shake Sunset's hoof.

"**Oh, thank you... I'm really clumsy...sorry...**" She said, looking back at the cupboard.

Sunset rolled her eyes as Derpy turned back to her. That was when she realised what the grey pegasus's eyes were like. They were odd, each facing in different directions. **"Oh.. Your eyes..."** She accidentally muttered, not realising she was saying it out loud.

Derpy recoiled, fear suddenly clouding her eyes. **"You're going to make fun of me as well?"**

**"N-no! I was just noticing them."** Sunset protested.

Derpy pulled her hoof away, her wings buffing up. **"Everyone I know has always been mean because of them. Why can't I just have the _freedom_ to... not be bullied! Who are you, anyway?"**

Sunset looked down, rubbing her left hoof with her right one. **"U-Uh, I'm Sunset Shimmer. I'm just here to make sure everything is going fine."**

Derpy paused, seeming to squint. **"Oh! Garble told me about you. But, I'm... sorry for exploding like that. Everything has just gone wrong today. But you know what hasn't? My muffins!"**

At that, Sunset blinked a realisation, and took the time to look around in confusion. It was only then that she noticed. All the food that was on the tables, on the counters, prepared. It was all around her. All the food was muffins. Muffins everywhere. It was just...muffins.

"**Your... muffins.**" She whimpered.

Derpy giggled to herself in a sing-song tone. **"They are my one joy in this world!"**

"**You're kidding. You're kidding, right?**" Sunset raised an eyebrow.

Derpy looked confused. "**Kidding about what? Muffins? Because if you look, there's actually a lot of them-**"

**"I can see that. Why have you done so many?"** Sunset asked, not caring about interrupting her.

**"What else would we serve?"**

**"I don't know, real food?"**

**"But those aren't muffins."**

Sunset broke the conversation with a strained sigh, putting a hoof to her hurting head. **"Well, Emperor Sombra made you the caterer for some reason, I guess. But you're a pegasus. Why don't you clear the skies instead of Trixie?"**

**"Because I'm not very good at flying,"** Derpy said, shrugging. A grin appeared on her face as she looked at her muffins. **"But I love muffins! I will cook muffins until I die."**

Sunset looked at her blankly. **"You know what? I've given up. I've. Given. Up. Good luck. They may be muffins - and we're only serving muffins for some reason - but I guess they look alright. Perhaps I shouldn't judge the omnipotent muffins. Either way, I am going. I can finally research."**

Sunset turned tail and began to walk out, in a beeline for the library. Derpy stared after her as she left, calling out as she turned back to her muffins. "**Good luck! I'll be here! With my MUFFINS. THE MUFFINS!"**

She rolled her eyes, before she finally left that ballroom. Strange. She could've sworn she heard the sound of a pegasus flying super fast after she left. Hm. Nevermind. She headed straight back out the palace, and towards the Library. Now that she was finally done, she could read some more about those intriguing Elements that kept escaping her grasp!

She opened the doors, stepping in. She could see only eerie blackness. _**I know it's getting close to the sunset, but this is just ridiculous**_, she thought to herself, turning to the side to flicker on the light for Night Light...

She was greeted with the image of Garble, Derpy, Trixie, Maud, Octavia, and Vinyl Scratch standing at the party, alongside like thirty people she had never even met before. They all threw her hooves up in unison, screeching out a garbled, **"SURPRISEEEEE!"**

Sunset covered her ears in pain, as Garble approached her. He leaned on a nearby pillar as he spoke, looking down at his claws in typical teenage dragon arrogance. **"Surprise!"** He said, the words feeling like venom in her ears. **"I threw you a pretty pony party!"**

**"What?! This is a library! A. Library! Why would you do this?"** Sunset yelled.

Garble shrugged. **"To help you make friends just like Sombra wanted you to, of course!"**

Sunset glared at him. Perhaps that was true to some extent, but she knew that he only did this _just_ to annoy her. Probably.

Octavia stepped forward, flipping her hair in a proper fashion. **"Garble told us of how you've come back to the Crystal City! And if you're back from being gone, you must not know anybody!"**

Vinyl nodded. **"So we helped him to set this up. And invited everybody who was free at such short notice!"**

Derpy flew forwards and grabbed Sunset in a huge embrace. "**Now you have lots and lots and lots of friends!**" Derpy shouted out with glee.

Derpy put Sunset down, who sputtered out in shock, "**But... you... I just want to research...**"

Maud was also there, with a grey party hat pulled lazily over her head. "**I also tried to get the Emperor to come. I couldn't find him anywhere.**"

Derpy shrugged. **"I guess he's hiding."**

Sunset felt herself almost topple over at _that_ absurd suggestion, her knees getting weaker. Angrily, she thought to herself, _Anybody would hide from people who. Host. Parties. In. LIBRARIES!_

Trixie flipped her mane, grinning to herself. "**Trixie also helped out, and now she is going to start 'pin the tail on the pony'. Join us, Sunset Shimmer.**"

Sunset shook her head."**No. I'm just going to go into a corner, and try to pass the time as soon as possible.**"

Octavia smiled gently. "**Are you sure, dear? We made this so you can make friends, not... ignore them.**"

Sunset nodded in response and walked past them. Ignoring the noisy crowd of ponies that started to talk at the tops of their voices it seemed, she walked down the staircase. Thankfully, none of the others chased after her. _**Thank Sombra**_, She thought to herself with a sigh. She sat on a sofa in the corner of the Library, watching the clock intently. It was too late to try and search for her research book, she realised with a painful pang to heart. She buried her face under her pillow, trying to sleep.

She must have fell asleep then, as when she looked back up at the clock, twenty minutes had passed, and there was only ten minutes left to go until the event started.

Maud Pie appeared by the sofa with no warning, causing Sunset to reel back in shock. Vinyl also stood there, but she wasn't as creepy as Maud was.

**"Hello."** Maud said, no tone in her voice.

Vinyl broke the silence, **"You know, Sunset, it's a party. You should liven up!"**

Sunset groaned. **"I get you're trying to be nice - and really, I appreciate it - but I'm so..."** \- she broke her speech to yawn - **"tired..."**

Vinyl propped her up. **"No! You need to stay up for the Solstice. Don't you want to see Sombra raise the moon?"**

Maud spoke. **"Speaking of the Solstice, it starts in seven minutes."**

Vinyl deeply gasped. **"You're right. We need to roll out!"**

Sunset raised an eyebrow at that. **"Roll out? Seriously?"**

Octavia shrugged as they left with the rest of the party, staying far behind. Derpy and Octavia also joined them as they entered the Theatre. All the lights were dimmed down, the only thing illuminating the massive room being Sombra's sun, wavering in the sky as the time to begin dawdled nearer. It was odd how slow it was, still, but Sunset supposed Emperor Sombra must be waiting to do it. Strange. She could've sworn it hadn't change positions in the last half-hour since she spoke to had to be at least two thousand seats, all filled with various ponies. Some were nobility, some were crystal ponies, some weren't... There were six seats left unfilled at the front, at least that she could see immediately-

Sunset was stopped in her thoughts by a guard holding out her leg to stop them. **"You're Sunset Shimmer, right?"** She asked. **"And these are the other organisers?"**

Sunset self-conscious looked at the other organisers, then back at the guard. "**Oh. Uh... yeah?**"

The guard nodded, then pointed towards the front with her hoof. **"You have some seats there, at the front. Beneath the musicians. Saved by the Emperor himself."**

**"Wow! Nice seats, right guys?"** Derpy said, her face covered with a grin.

Sunset shuddered as the group moved past, walking through the aisle towards the free seats. Octavia still walked ahead of them, joining the rest of her band just below the stage in preparation to begin playing her music. Sunset and the others however just walked forwards, sitting in the front seats. She looked up at the massive clock on the entrance wall.

_Five minutes to the beginning of the event._

She looked over at a nearby guard, calling him over. "**Excuse me?**"

The guard let out a sigh, walking over with some hesitation. "**Yes?**" He said, with a gruff and irritated voice.

"**I have reason to...**" Sunset started, concern clearly in her voice, only to trail her. She glanced back at the entrance, seeing the image of some guards standing there. They whispered amongst themselves in hurried hushed tones, almost shouting at each other, with worry on their faces. Others were panicking and running about. Trying to get back into concentration, she looked back at the guard she was talking to. "**Er, I have reason to believe that something dangerous is going to happen this event."**

Of course nothing would go right for Sunset today, and it showed when instead of actually doing anything about her legitimate concerns, the guard whinnied and stormed off.

Vinyl seemed to pick up on his strange reaction, muttering a, **"What was _that_ all about?"**

A slight hint of concern came out in Maud's voice, possibly the first bit of emotion she got from the earth pony. "**And what did you mean by 'dangerous'?**"

She sighed. "**Don't-don't worry. It's probably nothing.**"

They were interrupted by the lights brightening slightly, and being angled towards the front of the Theatre. The curtains were drawn, and a certain pink pegasus Sunset recognised as Cadence sauntered onto the stage.

She spoke, addressing them all, and broadcasting her voice at just the right volume to them. "**Fillies, and gentlecolts - it is my greatest pleasure as Mayor of the Crystal City to announce the beginning of the Winter Wind Celebration!**" She broke her speech as the audience applauded, waiting for it to settle before continuing. "**In just a few moments, our Empire will witness the magic of the Emperor, and celebrate his reign. On this, the shortest day of the year, and the first snowflakes of the Winter. And now, it is my greatest honour to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very stallion who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, and the winter every year, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria...**"

Sunset felt her breath hitch. The Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armour, rushed up to her. He was trying to stop her. It was too late.

The curtains opened.

**"Emperor Sombraaa-aaaahuh?!"**

Cadence's mouth dropped at the empty stage.

The crowd gasps in solidarity.

_**"Where's the Emperor?!"**_

_**"This is a disaster!"**_

Cadence stumbled back in shock.

Sunset let out a whimper. **"This can't be good."**


	2. The Magic of Forgiveness - Part Two

Cadence tried to take a deep breath, with her hoof for added assistance and turned to face the audience, whose panic was only growing. **"Calm down, everybody. There's a sensible explanation for this. The Emperor is... probably just running late! He has a lot of duties, you know."**

Thanks to her close seat, Sunset could hear the captain politely and quietly rebuke her thoughts. **"No, Mayor Cadenza. Sombra is gone. We've looked everywhere for the past ten minutes! In the palace, in the city!"**

Cadence's face contorted into horror, yelling out a loud, **"Everybody, stay calm! We'll figure this out!"** She then turned to Shining, **"Why didn't you say anything?!"**

Shining Armour kneaded the ground nervously with his hoof. **"We didn't want to cause a panic. We thought we could find him before it started. I personally ran around the entire Empire for him! I tried to stop you! Why didn't you listen?!"**

More and more people were getting restless, some even fleeing the scene, and even Sunset admitted that she felt uneasy. The guards, of course, stopped them and the flow of panic, but Sunset tried her best to filter them out and pay astute attention to the Mayor and Captain. Cadence groaned to herself, her ears pinned back. **"Where was he last seen?"** She hissed.

Shining Armour's breath caught on a sharp tone. "**In the corridors...,"** he gruffly answered, **"talking to _her_."** He pointed a hoof straight at Sunset, and she felt her heart skip several beats. Feeling the glares of many games thrown at her suddenly...including the ones of her fellow organisers.

Maud looked at her, her apathetic visage still betraying the misguided hurt in her voice, "**You foalnapped the Emperor?"**

Derpy was the same. **"That was why you were talking about dangerous things, wasn't it?"**

Sunset kept trying to speak and kept getting more and more interrupted as more people questioned her.

**"Explain yourself!"** The Mayor shouted.

**"No- I-!"** She gasped out.

**"What did you do to the Emperor?!"** Shining Armour demanded, walking towards her with a threatening hitch in his steps.

Garble stood up on his chair, which was the most thing that surprised Sunset in this situation. He towered over the nearby ponies, which gave him a vessel for gathering more authority for which to speak through. "**She didn't do anything!"** He protested, and the ponies listened, albeit reluctantly. **"She walked away from him-"** \- Sunset's lip trembled at the mention - **"And _I_ was the last person to see him! He walked off in the _completely opposite_ direction to her!"**

Sunset was shocked, to say the least. Why would Garble of all people defend her? He was the angsty teenage dragon!

Trixie nodded. **"Trixie agrees. We can't just turn on each other. We have no evidence of Sunset doing anything wrong apart from a second-hoof account of her talking to him, briefly! This isn't the right way to go about this. And Trixie will not stand for it. She only stands for justice, and justice alone, not- not vigilantism!"**

Sunset felt her heart skip a beat, as she stared in shock. Shock that Trixie would defend a mare she barely even knew, especially one who had been rude to her, one who was rude to everybody around her. Was justice that important to her?

But it left some silence that Sunset could take advantage of, and that was what she did, raising her voice, as Cadence and Shining were distracted throwing concerned glances at each other. "**Can I speak, finally?!"** She yelled.

The clamour of Cadence, her frien- _fellow organisers_, and Shining had all died down at her outburst, and stared at her with wide eyes. Sunset stood on her chair, and turned to face and address the whole audience. She realised with some self-conscience that her outburst had been loud enough to get all of their attention, but still she pushed her all-too-familiar feelings of shame down. **"I-I think I know what's going on."** She said, hoping that the large volume she was speaking at was loud enough for everybody to hear. "**It's an ancient prophecy, of the Mare of Twilight. She used to rule with Sombra a thousand years ago, and now she's back! And she's taken the Emperor!"**

**"But that's just an old mare's tale..."** Maud whispered.

Sunset whipped around to snap back at her, **"But it's not!"**

Before she could elaborate further, the entrance swung open with a loud bang. All eyes fell on it; the shape of a guard withered with the lack of breath stood, panting. **"Mayor Cadenza! The-the throne room! It's a mare!"** He gasped out.

Cadence let out a gasp, before flying up and addressing Shining Armour. **"You, evacuate the Theatre into the City while I deal with this."** She looked at Sunset, placing her hooves on her shoulders. **"You seem to know what's happening... or at least you have a pretty good guess. Either way, I feel guilty about accusing you, so... you come with me."** She said, her words about remorse not false.

Shining nodded after that, and had started to guide the panicking citizenry away to a safer space, when Trixie shook her head. She stepped next to Cadence, flaring out her cape to possibly make herself seem bigger, Sunset supposed. **"Only if Trixie can accompany her. She-I want to make sure that equity is maintained."**

Octavia nodded, as she appeared stepping away from her band. **"I'll come as well. It's the noble thing to do."**

Vinyl shrugged as she stood up from her seat. **"Eh. Helping to save an Empire sounds like fun."** Octavia giggled, drawing Vinyl into a hug.

Maud nodded towards Sunset. **"I will come too. This is non-negotiable."**

Derpy fluttered up, her wings flared with anxiety, but also a need to help. **"Uh, I'm not really that good at fighting... But it was mean of me to not believe in her... So I'll come to make it up to her."**

Cadence sighed, rubbing her temples with her hooves. **"I don't want to rely on the innocent, but... If what Sunset said was true - this Mare, she's come back and she's got the Emperor - we need all the help we can get. Follow me."**

Cadence marched them to the Palace and the Throne Room, trying her best to keep them away from the crowds of people. Shining had started explaining everything to the crowds. Sunset looked on in worry as she could see the Pegasi fighting back the storm clouds of the North. She remembered Sombra. He wasn't there to keep the cold out. Cadence kicked apart the doors of the throne room as she flew in furiously, landing on the ground.

They looked up at the throne, but it was twisted from its usual black crystal colour to a daring blue, and sat upon it was not Sombra. It was _Midnight Sparkle._

Her horn glowed a sickening blue colour, and she had wings. A winged unicorn... a sight never before seen. Her mane flew ethereally behind her, storm cracking in it like the rage they saw on her contorted face, in her eternal eyes.

**"It was true..."** Maud gasped.

Trixie's coat stood on edge. **"The Mare of Twilight!"** She growled.

Midnight Sparkle cackled. **"That's right! Twilight _is_ my domain! And I am the true ruler of the Crystal Empire, not that - that docile pretender you all seem so willing to bow down to!"** She stood up, examining her armoured hoof. **"Honestly, I'm surprised people even know my title. After being locked away for a thousand years - allow me to repeat, _A THOUSAND YEARS_ \- one would think I would be forgotten. But thankfully, that doesn't appear to be the case."**

Octavia snapped back at her. **"How dare you sit on the his throne?!"**

Midnight rolled her eyes. **"This throne belongs to me, _Midnight Sparkle_\- and me alone! Although, it does have a rather comfy dip to it."** She cackled as she stepped down on the steps leading from the raised throne to the throne. Each hoofstep sent a thunderous shiver in the air, each step sounding like a drum. **"It's not as if little Sombrero will need it anymore, either... Considering he's dead!"**

There wasn't a single person in that room who didn't gasp then. Except her.

Vinyl was the only one able to regather her thoughts enough to respond. Even Sunset couldn't process that Sombra...was actually dead. "**You... You didn't!"**

**"Oh, but I did, and I relished as he gasped his last breath, cackling in his blood! I'll bathe in it, later. And now that your precious prince isn't around to raise or lower the sun, the world will be plunged - into _ETERNAL TWILIGHT!_ AND ENGULFED IN THE WINTER HE LOVED SO, SO MUCH!"**

She burst into mad, sickening laughter. Her mane spiked up, forming an arch, a sickening hurricane, crackling around her like her own twisted thoughts playing back to her. It twisted around the seven ponies and the teenage dragon, sending all eight of them flying out of a window, crashing out of the Palace. And heading straight for the ground.

Sunset was able to levitate herself up before she hit the ground, saving herself from a nasty impact. Looking around, and feeling a hint of regret that she couldn't save her friends as well, she saw that Trixie and Vinyl had done the same. Cadence was lowering Octavia and Garble to the ground with help from her powerful wings, and Derpy was uneasily setting Maud down.

**"S-sorry Maud,"** Derpy whispered, and Maud hugged her in response.

Octavia seemed unable to console the group with a wise word as she usually could, or even thank Cadence, as she fell limp and let out a whimper. **"My Emperor...dead... I can't... I just can't..."**

Sunset was taken aback by the sophisticated mare actually losing her cool, and even she had to admit, she couldn't believe it. Sombra. _Dead_. She hated him, so why did it hurt so much?

Trixie placed a hoof on her shoulder. **"Trixie knows how you feel. But we should put off mourning for him until we can do him justice with our cries. For now, we need to focus on saving the Empire. I'm sorry."**

Octavia whimpered quietly, nodding, and reluctantly sat up. She turned away as she wiped her tears from her cheeks.

Cadence looked at her with a strange gaze that looked like... knowing pity? She wrapped the earth pony with a comforting wing as she turned to Sunset. **"Sunset, you knew this was going to happen. Do you know anything else?"**

**"I... just know about how Sombra defeated her."** Sunset said.

**"How?"** Maud asked.

Sunset tried her best to explain it in a useful way. **"He used these... _Elements_,"** she started. **"The Elements of Amnesty. He harnessed them, and locked her away for a thousand years. There are six elements... The Element of Nobility, Rejoice, Altruism, Justice, Liberality... and the sixth one is unknown. I read about them during the party. While you were all dancing."**

Vinyl nervously laughed, and Octavia stood up, looking at Garble. He was leaning on a pillar and examining his claws again. **"Where did you say Emperor Sombra went before he...he...yeah."**

She trailed off, the words obviously like salt on her tongue, and Garble answered quickly. **"Uh, into the lower levels. The, uh, basements."**

Octavia looked towards Sunset. **"Do you think that could be where the Elements are?"**

Sunset paused to consider the idea, only to get interrupted by Trixie protesting that, **"But nobody except him is allowed down there!"**

Cadence flexed her wings. **"Sombra did mention a few years back that he kept some artifacts in there. But, uh, I should go do some mayor-y stuff now. This is so much above my pay grade, and Sunset knows more about this than I ever could."**

_'Mayor-y stuff,'_ Sunset thought to herself comically as Cadence enthusiastically flew away, glad to be out of the immediate danger of Midnight Sparkle. She didn't have much patience for cowards, never had.

Maud shuddered, remembering the twisted visage of Midnight Sparkle. **"So we're going in, then?"**

Derpy tried to shield herself with her wings.** "I don't want to. That meanie is in there."**

Sunset knew she hated cowards, but even she had to admit the growing desperation in the situation. **"Plus we don't even know that they're in there."**

**"The cautious and reluctant Trixie also advises against it."** Trixie said.

Octavia groaned loudly as she stepped forward, directly in front of the palace square. **"You're all cowards! I can't believe you all right now. We're the only chances for the Empire. We're the only ones who can do this. That place is the only place we have a chance to win, and you're all cowering in fear. If not for yourselves, then do it for the Empire, _do it for the Emperor_, and do it in the name of good. And if you're still too scared of some _tall lady,_ then stay out here, because _I'm going in anyway._"**

They all gawked in shock as Octavia turned on her heel and entered the Palace doors, standing in silence. Vinyl broke it when she shook her head and addressed the rest of them. **"She's right. We should follow her."** She said.

Derpy, Garble, Maud and Trixie looked down, a guilty look on their faces, and followed after Vinyl, but Sunset only smirked to herself. _She's right. That, and... the Elements could give me enough power to finally overthrow Emperor Sombra._

They entered the Crystal Palace, which looked much more different than it was before, especially now that they were seeing it inside. The usual black-purple appearance was fixed just a peculiar purple colour, likely due to Midnight Sparkle's interference. Octavia was at the head of them, leading them through the corridors.

**"So, we ignore the crazy smoke lady?"** Garble asked.

**"No, not ignore,"** corrected Octavia, **"Just... avoid. She can't know we're here."**

They reach the Throne Room, and peek in through the doorway, hearing voices:

Midnight stood, in a line of soldiers with soulless blue eyes, looking down at them from the lower dais of the throne.

Trixie scoffed. **"Is she changing out the uniforms? Ugh, tacky."**

Midnight took the last helmet off the last one, replacing it with a thestral one and heavily inspecting it.

**"Tell me she's not."** Sunset groaned.

**"She is."** Replied Maud.

Midnight began singing to herself, humming a tune:-

**_"This day is going to be perfect_**  
**_The kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was strong_**  
**_Everypony will gather round, say I look lovely in my crown_**  
**_What they do know is that I am ruling all."_**

They slowly turned and began backing away. Only to be stopped in their tracks when the tall figure of Midnight stood there, cackling, with her draconic wings outstretched, as if sarcastically going for a hug. **"My dear, dear, subjects! You should have warned me if you were going to pop in for a bit."**

**"Midnight Sparkle!"** Sunset gasped.

**"Guessing the plan for avoiding her didn't work out so well,"** Trixie sarcastically muttered.

Midnight raised her eyebrow as she paced around them in a circle, like a shark toying with its prey. **"Why do you want to avoid me?"** She asked, with a confusing tone that sounded like mock-hurt to Sunset's ears. **"Why won't you accept me as your ruler? I only want to be loved by you. I only want to receive the admiration from you that I _deserve_!"**

Octavia stepped back. **"You killed our Emperor! Why would we be nice to you?!"**

Midnight roared back at her. **"Because I deserve it! I'm your Empress!"**

**"You don't deserve anything!**" Interjected Trixie. **"Respect should be justly earned! Like the great and powerful Trixie has earned it!"**

Sunset rolled her eyes in the implication that Trixie earned any respect, while Midnight hissed back at her. **"You want to disrespect me? You want to trespass into my corridors? You want to look for your precious Emperor so badly?! Then you can do it! For all eternity, in my own creation!"**

She raised her hooves high, and stamped them down twice as she fast as she raised them, onto the floor. Their surroundings shattered around them, falling like little glass shards, replaced with swirling and uneasy corridors.

**"These are the Endless Corridors. Have fun dying of old age in here!"**

She broke into a cackle as her body turned to mist and swirled away. They all looked around, stunned.

**"The Endless Corridors...?"** Garble muttered.

**"I don't like this. I don't like this at all."** Vinyl said, backing away from the walls.

Maud felt them, inspecting them close. **"They look like they're rocks. But I see through their disguise. They feel weird. Like they aren't there."**

**"Trixie... is unsure of how we're going to get out of here."** Trixie covered her hat.

Vinyl stood up. **"Yeah, but guys, didn't you hear what she said? She said searching for _Sombra_, not the Elements!"**

They stopped, the realisation suddenly hitting them like a brick.

**"Yes, I heard,"** Sunset forced through gritted teeth.

**"It means that the Emperor is still alive, and she doesn't know about the Elements! There's still hope left! We need to be optimistic, because we have the one thing she doesn't, and nothing can be endless."** Vinyl said, a grin on her face.

They nodded.

**"You're right. Well said, friend."** Octavia muttered, putting a hoof on Vinyl's shoulder.

Garble, however, was not so convinced as the others. **"So the plan is to...what? Wander aimlessly?" **He snorted.

Sunset cast him a steely glare. **"It's the only thing we can do, if you don't have any better ideas."**

Garble shrugged. **"I'm just trying to be a good assistant."**

Sunset sighed in response, and stopped to look back at Maud. She stood there silently, looking intently at the wall.

**"Maud? Are you okay?"** Derpy asked.

**"Vinyl was right."** She finally said, after a moment of silence passed. **"An endless anything can't exist. The only way to do it would be to drag the concept into reality."**

**"O...kay. But how would she do that?"** Vinyl asked.

Maud pointed at the strange swirling patterns, stepping back. At that, Sunset walked forward, examining it with a squint.

That was when the recognisation hit.

She gasped. **"Of course! I recognise that pattern!"**

**"What is it?"** Octavia asked?

Sunset clapped her hooves together, and turned on her heel to face the rest of them. **"While I was training under Emperor Sombra, he once brought me to the dream realm with him. I saw this pattern everywhere in everybody's dreams. It's the sign of... a subconscious."**

Maud nodded in response. She then ran down the corridor.

Vinyl scoffed. **"Where's she going?"**

**"Trixie doesn't know, but we better hurry."** Trixie answered.

They followed her, their ears pricking at the quiet sound of crying slowly coming into focus. Maud stopped at a doorway it was loudest at, looking in. When they finally reached there, they could see it - the image of a unicorn mare crying in chains. She was purple, with dark blue hair and pinkish streaks in it. Sunset squints, feeling her to be familiar.

**"The hunger for knowledge, power, and love had turned her into a wicked mare of pure, evil magic..."** She muttered out loud, not realising it was out loud at all. Maud only squinted at her, as if to think.

The unicorn mare hugged herself closer, lowering her head. **"Just leave me alone!"** She cried out. **"Everybody else has..."**

**"No."** Maud said, walking closer to her. That was when the mare looked up at her with confusion. **"You're trapped in Midnight Sparkle, aren't you?"**

The unicorn sniffled. **"Yeah. I have been for the past thousand years."**

She widened her eyes when Maud extended a hoof towards her. **"You don't have to be alone anymore. The people in your time may have turned their backs on you, but we won't. Join us."**

Young Midnight looked up at her, before turning away. **"No. No, you should just leave."**

**"No."** Maud said, frankly.

Young Midnight frowned at her. **"Why are you helping me?"**

Sunset looked over at Trixie and Octavia and they back at her. Derpy frowned at the scene before them.

**"Because everyone deserves something good in their life."** Maud replied.

Young Midnight sniffled. **"I- Thank you."** She looked away. **"But... I can only give you one thing in return."**

**"You mean for all of us and not just her, right?"** Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow. Sunset groaned.

**"A-a way out."** Young Midnight flared her horn, lighting it up, and a bright light flashes. Smoke rose everywhere, and when it cleared, they all looked around to find that they were back in the usual corridors. Trixie praised the heavens, and started kissing the floor.

**"She got us out!"** Derpy exclaimed.

**"She helped us the only way she could, in return for us helping her the only way we could."** Maud said, simply, and matter-of-factly.

Octavia placed her hoof on Maud's shoulder. "**Thank you, Maud. I... admit, I thought you were a bit weird at first and I kinda didn't like you. But you know, you have a heart of gold."** She said, a warm smile plastered on her face.

Maud dipped her head with respect and a small smile. **"You inspired me with your speech. I may have a "heart of gold", but you hold the most courage in your heart than anybody else I know."**

Sunset butted in, quite literally, by putting her head inbetween them. **"You know, I love this emotional moment and all, but the time is ticking until Midnight announces the whole overthrowing thingy."**

Trixie flicked her mane as Sunset walked away. **"Well, _TRIXIE_ thinks that any time is a great time to do what's right."**

Sunset bared her teeth at her. **"_Apowogising_ and _fwendship_ aren't the 'right thing', it's a waste of time and frankly, a childish concept!"**

Derpy butted in. **"Please stop fighting! Now isn't the time!"**

A huff escaping her lips, Octavia turned away and began walking away silently. The others followed her reluctantly, Sunset casting a guilty look over towards Trixie. They stalked through the corridors silently - although they didn't really know where they were going. Octavia was mostly leading them down the levels of the Palace.

The silence was broken by faint voices, with Trixie's ears perking over. She stopped, looking into a nearby doorway that they were coming from.

Octavia sighed. **"Trixie, I'm afraid we can't stop. We've already spent enough time as it is."**

Trixie ignored her, walking into the room. It was a meeting room, with a long table in the middle of it and a board on the wall. A hologram system was on the table, but the main thing she focused on was the three palace servants hiding besides the table. One had a tray over her head.

**"Ha! You stupid idiot! You can't even fly!"** One jeered.

**"Just get out already! You're going to alert _HER_ to where we are!" **The other snapped.

The tray servant sniffled, pulling the tray off of her head, and revealing her pink locks. She stood up, dropping the tray, and ambled towards the doorway awkwardly. Trixie looked down with guilt, feeling a peculiar sense of deja vu in the situation.

She frowned, storming in, and stopping the tray servant dead in her tracks. "I- _TRIXIE_ overheard your conversation!"

All three stared in shock at her, but she only glared at the two bully servants. **"What made either of you think that what you did was right? Bullying her does nothing to help anyone, and you're just in the wrong. Trixie is disgusted with you." **She turned to the yellow pegasus. **"Come with us. We're trying to go down to the basement. We'll help you."**

Octavia and Sunset looked in, watching the situation unfold before them. They both turned back to the others.

**"Were we, um, right to try and stop her?"** Octavia sheepishly muttered.

Derpy nodded, forcing out a quiet, **"She had a point..."**

Trixie emerged with the servant, who looked back self-consciously.

**"Are you okay?"** Maud asked the pegasus mare.

The servant hid behind her mane. **"Oh, y-yeah. You, um, you were trying to go down to the basement?"**

"Yeah! It's gonna be rad. We think there's some cool artifacts down there." Vinyl smiled.

**"But nobody is allowed down there. Except, um, the Emperor."** The pegasus meekly said.

Trixie hooked a leg around the mare's neck into an embrace comfortingly. **"For now,..."** She said, before pausing, and continuing in a much more dramatic tone, **"rules must be bent... in the name of _JUSTICE_!"**

She stared blankly at Trixie, and then looked away awkwardly. **"Right. Um, you were really nice to me, and I appreciate that. So I can lead you there. If you want, that is."**

Octavia smiled gently as she unhooked Trixie. **"That would be wonderful! We'd really appreciate that, uh.. What's your name?"**

The mare cowered her face behind her mane, and mumbled something incoherent.

Octavia maintained an awkward grin and leaned forward, trying to hear it louder. **"Excuse me, what? I didn't get th-"**

Trixie stormed in between them, pulling them apart and interrupting the introduction. **"We don't have time for this!"** She howled. Turning to the mare, she ordered, **"You, tell us when we get down there, okay?"**, and much more dramatically, she added, **"Now lead! Time is of the _essence_!"**

Sunset nodded, adding, **"I ne- uh, WE need the elements. So, we should hurry."**

Fluttershy stared at them awkwardly, flicking back her mane. Reluctantly, she led them all on, continuing in the direction of the rotunda. However, what the ponies didn't know, was that Midnight Sparkle watched from around the corner, her eyes glaring with unwavering rage. **"The... elements? I thought Sombra destroyed those. No worries. They can lead me right to them!"**

Midnight Sparkle cackled as she turned to mist, following alongside them, and sending a shiver up Sunset's shine.

**"Yuck. This part of the castle really gives me the spooks."** Sunset gasped, looking uneasily around at the blue corridors and the lighter pillars of pure crystal.

The pegasus nodded in approval as they opened the doors and came into a rotunda. The circular room was lined with lighting crystals, and had about fifty floors, all comprised entirely of just. Stairs.  
**"It's, uh, just done there."** She explained.

Sunset groaned, glaring at the many flights of stairs. Her legs would be dead. **"I forgot about Sombra's strange fascination with stairs. You'd think the guy'd get some elevators, but nooooooo, he'll just decimate our legs."**

* * *

They eventually landed at the bottom of the rotunda after walking for what felt like half an hour. They were all exhausted, and panted. Down at the bottom, it was dark, and the lighting crystals had grown sparse. Opposite the bottom of the stairs was a massive crystal door with a circular lock in it. A horn lock, Sunset quickly noticed - a unicorn had to put their horn in and if they had permissions enabled for them, their signature would open the door for them. Just next to it? A large sign that read "TRESPASSING IS TREASON". At this, they all looked uneasily at each other.

Sunset realised at their simultaneous unreadiness that she had to be the one to step up, and she did just that. What she did not count on?

Mist swirling around them. They shrieked, hearts racing.

**"It's Midnight!"** Garble screamed.

The mist swirled into the figure of a tall mare, Midnight's body returning to its form. Her signature blue horn glittered above them.

Sunset saw Midnight clear her breath, and her heart dropped. **"No... Tell me she's not!"**

Maud sighed. **"She is."**

Sunset shuddered at the deja vu, as Midnight cackled, beginning to sing:

_**"Well, well, well, well, well!**_  
_**Let me get a look at the menagerie!**_  
_**Just some weak unicorns!**_  
_**A weak pegasus!**_  
_**Sunset Shimmer, don't tell me you side with them? **_  
_**Isn't that just swell?!"**_

Sunset growled. **"You**** can't be-"**

Midnight towered over her, and interrupted her as she continued:

"_**Oh but I can be, and I am!**_  
_**I got a new style and a few new toys-"**_

She paused, strands of her hair swirling up into mist tendrils that striked at Sunset's friends, who recoiled and tried to dodge.

_**"That are gonna put an end to your little revolt, once and for all!"**_

Octavia hissed at her, pinning her ears back. **"We'll never be loyal to you! You're not our ruler!"**

Midnight roared with anger, standing up further. Her head reeling back, her blue horn fired a blast at Octavia. Sunset gasped, and went to counter-block it. Her spell fizzled on the floor. Octavia had just managed to dodge Midnight's attack, panting on the floor as Vinyl held her.

**"I've heard the story of your origins! Haven't _you_? You lost! And you'll lose _again_!"** Sunset roared. She felt the rage - pure, unfiltered rage - at Midnight actually attacking one of her friends. A cry escaping her, she rushed towards Midnight, throwing a magic blast at her.

Midnight hit her back, knocking her to the ground. **"Oh, you've heard? YOU'VE HEARD?! I KNOW! _I'VE_ HEARD IT!" **She screamed, and screamed the next verse of her song:

_**"I've had Sombra's little message to the moon on loop!**_  
_**I just love this next part where Sombra spends the rest of his days**_  
_**On that nowhere sun, with a bunch of shadows!**_  
_**That's right I heard the story, and now I'm telling my own!**_  
_**Gee, it's swell to finally meet his other friends!**_  
_**That's right I heard the story, I really like how it ends**_  
_**Gee, it's swell to finally beat his other friends!"**_

As Sunset tried to stand up wearily, strands of Midnight's hair turned to mist tendrils, and caressed Sunset's cheeks like a mother would her foal.

**"Stop!"** Sunset hissed, batting away her tendrils, as her friends tried to wrestle Sunset from Midnight.

_**"What did he say about me? What did he say?**_  
_**What did you do without me? What did you do?**_  
_**Did you play games without me? What did you play?**_  
_**Did you think all this time that I wouldn't come back for him?"**_

Midnight brought her closer, ceasing her singing. **"My dear... You've always been in his shadow. You'll never be greater than he is. And you know that. That's why you left, wasn't it? To find another way to be greater than him? What if I told you to answer my calling? Become like me, embrace the ever-loving Darkness. She won't clip your wings. She'll let you be free, and soar like the phoenix you always knew you were, and love you like a Mother would. Sunset... You know you want to... You know you should."**

Sunset struggled out of her grip, blasting at Midnight's tendrils. They recoiled in pain, and Midnight snorted. She glared at the other organisers. **"Still, you haven't even TRIED to defeat me! Just look at how pathetic the zoo is! Just some weak unicorns that will never compare to YOU," - **Vinyl and Trixie glanced at each other at this comment - **"Some earth ponies,"** \- Maud hugged a head-hung Octavia as she glared at Midnight - **"a weak pegasus who can't do the thing she was born to do, and an angsty teenage dragon. You all really think that together, you sum more than the guy who raises a giant ball of flame?"**

At those comments, Derpy felt her heart hitch. All those time in her life, all those horrible moments at school and at home, where she was mocked, belittled, tortured for her disabilities. She flared out her wings in rage to bring herself to Midnight Sparkle's eye level. Immediately, Midnight glared at her and dropped Sunset. She tried to interject, but Derpy interrupted her before she could.

With a lecture. **"Excuse you- excuse you- what gives you the RIGHT to mock someone for something they can't help?! So what if we're different? So what if we're not as _good_ as everybody else? Vinyl doesn't NEED to be a strong unicorn, because we already love her _spirit_. Maud and Octavia don't NEED to be strong earth ponies, because we already love them for their _music_ and their knowledge of rocks. You have no right to judge anybody just by your own book, because strength isn't all that matters! And yeah, I do think that we equal Sombra, because with people giving you sufficient help, you can do _anything_ in life!"**

Midnight growled, her rage growing as her hair grew into more tendrils. Midnight scoffed. **"And you think some lousy SPEECH is going to save you?"**

Derpy grinned sweetly. **"Nope. But me distracting you long enough for Sunset to get the door open could help."**

Midnight turned around, gawking in the image of the open door. She fired a blast at Sunset, who merely saluted as the door began to close with her allies on the other side. Midnight growled, a mist tendril reaching out and getting into the basement just in time before the door completely closed.

The friends turned around. The pegasus wasn't with them: she had run back up the rotunda at the sight of Midnight Sparkle. However, Sunset couldn't think about that.

She could only stare forward at the Palace basement. Sombra had never, ever, _ever_ allowed her anywhere near this room, let alone inside it. But here she was standing, inside it. She trembled as she looked outside. Her horn had worked in the lock... but why? Sombra had never given her any permissions before, and certainly would not have forgotten to remove it - which meant that they were added recently. But _why_?  
Its mystery certainly lived up to the rumours she had heard. It was a room shrouded in complete darkness save for some lighting crystals at the front, near the door. They couldn't see how far it went in any direction. Everybody huddled close together behind Sunset, obviously knowing that they had to stay together - as she walked forward.

On the pedestal were five pillars, each with a stone sphere on it. The elements.

She was stopped from her thoughts when Midnight swirled before them again, garnering a sigh from Sunset as she facehoofed. **"You again? Can't you take a _hint_?"**

Sunset threw a beam of magic at Midnight, but the mare retaliated - and they formed the beam of a magical duel. Sunset strained, trying her best efforts - but it was useless. Midnight was so much more powerful than she, and the beam was etching further to Sunset, marking her doom.

**"Join in!"** Octavia shouted to her friends.

She leapt at Midnight, knocking her to the ground. Midnight almost lost control of her magic, but strained to keep up her end of the duel.  
Trixie and Vinyl stood behind Sunset. She nodded at them as they joined their magic with her and fought alongside her in the beam. Meanwhile, Maud and Derpy straight up attacked Midnight. The beam was etching closer to Midnight now, and her visage twisted into one of unimagineable fury and hatred.

_**"ENOUGH!"**_

There couldn't be anyone in the entire Empire that didn't hear her cry. Sunset swore she could feel even the ground recoil at Midnight's screech. Midnight fired a blast that emanated from her horn and knocked them all to the ground. She whipped around, baring her teeth savagely at the image of the elements on the pedestal.

Sunset knew what she was trying to do.

She tried to get up. She tried to stop her. But she was useless, and her legs failed her, and she could only stare in horror.

A stamp.

That was all it took.

And the elements fell to the floor in shards.

Sunset felt herself growing weak, not realising that she had screamed.

Their one hope.

Dashed out.

Midnight cackled.  
**"Aww, you little foal! Thinking you could defeat ME?! Now you will never see your Emperor, or your day! The TWILIGHT will last FOREVER!"**

Maud tried to comfort her, placing her hoof on Sunset's shoulder. **"Don't worry Sunset, we're here for you!"**

Sunset couldn't hear her.

Because she felt a spark in her heart.

* * *

_Octavia groaned loudly as she stepped forward, directly in front of the palace square. **"You're all cowards! I can't believe you all right now. We're the only chances for the Empire. We're the only ones who can do this. That place is the only place we have a chance to win, and you're all cowering in fear. If not for yourselves, then do it for the Empire, do it for the Emperor, and do it in the name of good. And if you're still too scared of some tall lady, then stay out here, because I'm going in anyway."**_

* * *

_**"It means that the Emperor is still alive, and she doesn't know about the Elements! There's still hope left! We need to be optimistic, because we have the one thing she doesn't, and nothing can be endless."** Vinyl said, a grin on her face._

* * *

_She widened her eyes when Maud extended a hoof towards her. **"You don't have to be alone anymore. The people in your time may have turned their backs on you, but we won't. Join us."**_

* * *

_All three stared in shock at her, but she only glared at the two bully servants. **"What made either of you think that what you did was right? Bullying her does nothing to help anyone, and you're just in the wrong. Trixie is disgusted with you."** She turned to the yellow pegasus. **"Come with us. We're trying to go down to the basement. We'll help you."**_

* * *

_Midnight tried to interject, but Derpy interrupted her before she could - with a lecture. **"Excuse you- excuse you- what gives you the RIGHT to mock someone for something they can't help?! So what if we're different? So what if we're not as good as everybody else? Vinyl doesn't NEED to be a strong unicorn, because we already love her spirit. Maud and Octavia don't NEED to be strong earth ponies, because we already love them for their music and their knowledge of rocks. You have no right to judge anybody just by your own book, because strength isn't all that matters! And yeah, I do think that we equal Sombra, because with people giving you enough help, you can do anything in life!"**_

* * *

Sunset glared at her with a sly smirk on her visage. **"Heh... You think you can destroy The Elements of Amnesy just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of The Elements of Amnesty are right _HERE_."**

Midnight gasped.** "What?"**

Shards on the floor flew up, forming into a necklace on Octavia's neck. Sunset grinned, as she announced the meaning of it:

**"_Octavia_, who convinced us of our virtuous duty, represents the spirit of _Nobility_!"**

The same happened to Vinyl, with a jem in the middle of the gold jewellery.

**"_Vinyl Scratch_, who showed optimism even in the face of danger, represents the spirit of _Rejoice_."**

Maud also got her own necklace - a similar pattern in all of them was that they all held the image of their cutie marks.

**"_Maud_, who believed in caring for others, represents the spirit of _Altruism_."**

Trixie gasped as the same happened with her and her own cutie mark, and Sunset continued to explain to Midnight Sparkle their destinies,

**"_Trixie_, who never put down doing the just or fair thing, represents the spirit of _Justice_."**

Derpy, the last one, also got her own necklace, as Midnight Sparkle stumbled back.

**"_Derpy_, who always maintained freedom and diversity, represents the spirit of _Liberality_."**

Midnight gasped out. **"You still don't have the sixth Element! The spark didn't work!"**

But Sunset could only grin at this. **"But it did! A different kind of spark. I felt it the very moment I realised how happy I was to see they were okay, to know they were going with me."** She paused to look back at the others. **"The spark ignited inside ME when I realised that you all... are MY FRIENDS! You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the... the SPARK, that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element: the element of...FAITH!"**

Sunset stood besides her friends, her element manifesting into a crown atop her head, and she opened her eyes to glare at Midnight. They were white, as were the others.

Midnight screamed. **"NOOO! Nooo!"**

A giant rainbow of pure magic swirled up behind them, and showered onto Midnight Sparkle. She gasped out as her form was destroyed.

* * *

They stood up as the dust cleared, their heads hurting tremendously.

**"Ugh, my head." **Vinyl groaned, rubbing it with her hoof.

**"Everybody okay?"** Maud asked.

Derpy gasped out. **"Why Octavia, it's so lovely!"**

Sunset followed her gaze, seeing it on Octavia's necklace. Her cutie mark was on it! It was so beautiful! They all looked at theirs, as well.

**"I know!"** Octavia giggled, feeling it with her hoof. **"It looks just like my cutie marks. They all look like our cutie marks!"**

Derpy looked down at hers, **"Look at mine!"** She gasped.

Vinyl chuckled as she gazed down at her own. **"Aw yeah."**

Sunset watched it play out, a slight smile on her face, before she heard a groan from behind them. She looked back. Behind her, crawling out from the rubble of the pedestals, was a purple unicorn with pinkish streaks in her dark blue mane. '_Midnight Sparkle,_' she thought to herself, '_but...before she got corrupted._'

She went to approach Midnight, but she was stopped by Maud nodding at her and speaking. **"I thought you were being dishonest. But maybe we do represent the elements of forgiveness."**

When she saw the hint of a smile on the usually stoic Maud's face, Sunset felt her own come on, only for a chill to be sent up her spine-

**"Indeed you do."**

They all gasped when a blindingly bright light appeared descending from above, and shielded their eyes.  
When Sunset opened hers, she felt her breath catch a hitch at the regal sight of Emperor Sombra standing before them, and heard Octavia gasp with joy.

Sunset gasped and ran forwards to stand before him. **"Emperor Sombra!"**

Realising what she did, she blushed and began to back away, but Sombra gently smiled at her. **"Sunset Shimmer, I knew you could it. I even said so, remember?"**

Sunset frowned, remembering his words. **"But... you said it was just an old pony tale."**

He shook his head. **"No, I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Midnight Sparkle's return, and I left clues for you as well. I am glad to see you weren't so foolish as to ignore them. I will admit, I did get a bit worried by your outburst with Garble." **

Sunset remembered her outburst, hanging her head.

Sombra held it up with his hoof so she looked into his eyes as he spoke. **"But I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her. You just had to let true friendship into your heart before you did. Now if only another will as well."**

He looked over towards Midnight Sparkle, with the others following his gaze. She was a tall unicorn - not as tall as Sombra, but taller than even Sunset. She looked up with fear at Sombra. **"Sombra!"** She gasped.

Sombra smiled gently, **"It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us, Princess Twilight Sparkle. We were meant to rule together."**

Sunset frowned, connecting the dots that she must have been named Twilight Sparkle before her ascension to _Midnight_ Sparkle. However, Twilight only buried her head in her hooves. **"No! I won't-I _can't_! Didn't you see what I just did? I don't deserve another chance!"**

Sombra shook his head. **"Of course you deserve another chance. We all make mistakes, but we can be forgiven for them, in time."**

Twilight gestured to Sunset and her friends. **"What about all the people I hurt? When I was Midnight Sparkle?"**

Sombra looked at her. **"They will come to forgive you, once you show them that you are repentant."**

She sniffled and reluctantly stood up fully, allowing Sunset to get a good look at her. Her mane was long and the strands were already starting to ethereally blow like Sombra's mane did, which showed how powerful she was, even in her true form.

**"I know the best people for helping you,"** Sombra said, looking at Sunset and the other organisers. **"I want you seven to stay here permanently in the Capital. I want you to embrace Princess Twilight as one of your own, help her and yourselves to learn the magic of friendship, and help her to accustom to new life. I want you personally, Sunset, to continue to study the magic of friendship and report to me your findings."**

Sunset struggled to find the right words, and her heart was filled with uncertainty. **"I..."** She paused, to look back at her friends. **"I'll do it."**

Twilight stopped him. **"Sombra, I... That's just it. I don't know if I want to be Princess Twilight right now. Maybe in the future, but for now... Princesshood and rulership... It's all left a bitter taste in my life because of what I did. For now, I just want to redeem myself. If continuing to raise the sun and moon yourself isn't too taxing."**

Sombra smiled. **"Of course it is not. Now, I believe we have a Solstice to continue. And we do need to stop trespassing, it counts as treason."**

They began walking out of the basement at that, with Sunset being reminded of her strange permissions. Twilight followed uneasily behind Sombra, with Sunset at the very back. However, she stopped at the bottom of the staircase, looking down at the ground. The page where she ranted about overthrowing Sombra was on the floor... It must've fallen out of her satchel.

**"Sunset! Are you coming?"** She heard Octavia call down.

**"Yep!"** She called up, throwing the page away, and catching up to them.

* * *

After Cadence explained what happened to everybody, the crowd was regathered in the Theatre and the Solstice continued on as planned. They decided to keep the Elements of Amnesty as a state secret for now as the six got used to their new powers. Although Sunset was still hestitant about her new duties as the Element of Faith, she decided to at least try.

Vinyl was incorrect. Sombra did not breakdance.

* * *

_AUTHOR'S NOTE_  
_It is finally done...the first arc... I am celebrating..._  
_You've probably all notice this, but I make my dialogue bold. It's more a roleplaying tic, but I find that it makes it neater and easier to skim if someone was in a rush. But do tell me if it's annoying or weird. ^^' _  
_The next update will probably take longer as I prepare what I'm going to do for Season 1... I'm thinking that in this universe, I'll rewrite the whole canon. Most is going to be reversed, but I'll keep some details the same if I want to use it for something, and I'll change others.  
Thank you for reading!_


End file.
